Jail for Willenhall man who threatened to stab pregnant woman

Benjamin Hasson demanded to know the whereabouts of the 18-year-old woman's partner and refused to let her leave his home in Bloxwich Road South, Willenhall.

After threatening her, he forced her and a 13-year-old girl who was with her at the time into a taxi and demanded to be taken to Anthony Kelly. After being driven two miles to King Charles Avenue in Bentley, Walsall, Hasson found Mr Kelly and repeatedly punched and kicked him. He was left with injuries to his eye and nose.

Birmingham Crown Court heard on Friday it was all over the payment of an electricity bill.

Hasson, aged 35, admitted offences of kidnap and assault on October 30. He also pleaded guilty to a separate charge of possession of £30 of cannabis. He was jailed for a total of 45 months.

Miss Madhu Rai, prosecuting, said the kidnap victim was five months pregnant at the time of the ordeal, which lasted for more than an hour.

She said after Hasson ushered her and the teenager into his home, he shouted for her boyfriend's phone number and told her she was not going anywhere and would beat her up.

"He also made threats of stabbing her and pouring boiling fat over her," Miss Rai added.

After being made to get into the taxi, they were taken to Bentley where the assault took place inside a house.

Ms Julia Smart, defending, said the issue had arisen as Mr Kelly owed money to Hasson over payment of an electricity bill.

She accepted her client had acted 'extremely badly', but was full of remorse and while in custody had furthered his education.

Hassan, who has previous convictions for robbery, affray and assault, initially denied the offences.

Sentencing him, Judge Nicholas Webb said: "You behaved in a threatening manner to a young woman. She was 18 at the time and five-and-a-half months pregnant.

"You detained her for about an hour in which you were persistently aggressive."

He added that the subsequent assault that took place had been 'sustained and repeated'.